Keyboard instruments existed as early as the third century BC where the Ancient Greeks used a type of pipe organ known as the “hydraulis.” The piano, which began to gain widespread popularity as early as the 18th century, saw considerable improvement, in design, throughout the 19th century. While it was not uncommon, even in the 20th century, to have an upright piano, or even grand, piano, in a home, the popularity of the piano, due to its inherent bulkiness, has diminished in popularity (in terms of consumer demand).
Electric pianos, first developed in the early 20th century, used metal strings with a magnetic pickup, an amplifier and a loudspeaker. By the beginning of the 21st century, electric piano technology had evolved to hybrid variations such as the “electronic keyboard.” An electronic keyboard, typically including a keyboard used in conjunction with a synthesizer (including a power amplifier) and small loudspeakers, is capable of recreating a wide range of musical sounds.
The dynamic range of the electronic keyboard has been greatly increased through use of the musical instrument digital interface (MIDI)—a standard for digital code transmission and digital technology development. When the electronic keyboard is used as a MIDI controller, MIDI data (including, for instance, information about note pitch, as well as duration) can be used to trigger sounds from a sound module or synthesizer. Capability of the electronic keyboard, when used in the context of a MIDI controller, can be greatly enhanced by use with a computer executing one or more software applications.
One current trend in music composition includes adapting an electronic keyboard into a wearable musical instrument. Several examples of wearable musical apparatus usable with a pair of hands are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/451,894, entitled Finger Mounted Musical Keyboard, filed Jan. 30, 2017, the respective disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and a comprehensive discussion of prior art corresponding with wearable musical instruments is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 8,362,350, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The '350 Patent discloses a wearable trigger electronic music system that can simulate any kind of music, anywhere and at any time. For example, one can create all the benefits of the percussion instrument, such as a drum kit, without its cost and burden. The same also applies to string, wind, and other types of instruments of any nation, culture, motif, era, age, etc. The system includes constituent components, including sensors, transducers, electronics, music modules, pre-amps, and amplifiers, wired or wireless, with connections for intra- and inter-modules, including final enjoyment by wired or wireless headphones or speakers. Also delineated is the process of creating music for the DIY enthusiast.
It is understood that piano applications (“apps”) are available for use with conventional “smartphones” having, for instance, iPhone or Android operating systems. In one example of operation, a keyboard is displayed, via a touchscreen, and displayed keys can be programmed to correspond with selected musical notes.
While wearable musical instruments and instrument apps for smartphones can be quite well suited for their respective intended purposes, they might not fulfill the particular needs of users seeking a portable, electronic musical instrument that is both easy to play and reasonably inexpensive. That is, while a wearable musical instrument can provide a very satisfying musical experience, the playing of such instruments can be, at least for some users, quite challenging. Additionally, while instrument apps can also provide a very satisfying musical experience, some may find the expense of owning a smartphone, for the mere purpose of obtaining the dedicated functionality of a portable, electronic musical instrument, to be excessive. Finally, while users typically play keyboard instruments with two hands, this can be difficult to do with a smartphone since using a smartphone, particularly when providing input to the smartphone, can require two hands—one to secure the smartphone and another to manipulate the touch elements.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present specification, there is disclosed a portable electronic musical system, with the electronic musical system including a hand pad. The hand pad includes a plurality of touch sensitive elements, usable with a single hand, wherein information corresponding with a musical note is produced when a selected amount of pressure is applied to one of the plurality of touch sensitive elements. The electronic musical system further includes (1) an electronic subsystem, operatively associated with the pad, for capturing the information produced as a result of pressure being applied to the one of the plurality of touch sensitive elements; (2) a selectively positionable support mechanism operatively connectable and secured to the pad, and (3) a sound producing subsystem, operatively communicating with the electronic subsystem, for receiving the captured information from the electronic subsystem and producing musical output with the captured information. wherein. When the hand pad is used with the single hand, at least part of the selectively positionable support mechanism is positioned under at least part of the single hand so that all of the hand pad, the positionable support mechanism and the single hand are movable in unison.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present specification, there is disclosed a keyboard for an electronic musical system. The electronic musical system includes: a first hand pad, including a plurality of touch sensitive elements, wherein a first set of information corresponding with a first musical output is produced when a selected amount of pressure is applied to one of the plurality of touch sensitive elements of the first hand pad by a user, and wherein said first hand pad is used with one of a user's left hand and right hand; a first selectively positionable support mechanism, the first selectively positionable support mechanism being operatively connected with the first hand pad and in contact with the one of the user's left hand and right hand when the first hand pad is in use; a second hand pad, including a plurality of touch sensitive elements and being separate from the first hand pad, wherein a second set of information corresponding with a second musical output is produced when a selected amount of pressure is applied to one of the plurality of touch sensitive elements of the second hand pad, and wherein the second hand pad is used with the other one of the user's left hand and right hand; and a second selectively positionable support mechanism, the second selectively positionable support mechanism being operatively connected with the second hand pad and in contact with the other one of the user's left hand and right hand when the second hand pad is in use.